Bicycle Mechanics - Sources for bike building mechanic wanna-be

My buddy, stylo328 here (I love to single out people outloud!), is putting together a bike. He has pretty much everything for it too except for the shoes/pedals, seat, and cables. He already installed a few things, but he needs to install the bottom bracket and arms, put the cables, put the chain, adjust all the gears, and do a final fit for the handlebar/stem height and seat. Since neither him or I have experience doing mostly the bottom bracket and gear adjustments, he decided to look into the LBS to see who would put it all together for the least possible. He is geeting quoted between $100-150 for the labor alone, which I think is a bit ridiculous given the little amount of work left to do.

We were discussing this today and it occured to us that maybe we should just learn how to do it ourselves. We may need to get a few tools, which may pay themselves with not having to pay a LBS to do maintenance. My question is, can you point some really good resources to read or see to learn how to do the work and maintenance? Books, links, videos, etc.?

Thanks!

Buy good quality tools - they'll pay for themselves & give you the satisfaction of working on your own bike.

for info, try: http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp for some good, no-nonsense information.

or try: http://www.bbinstitute.com/manual.htm and scroll to the bottom for some free pdf files from their manual. It's pretty comprehensive: 54 pages on disk brakes, 14 pages on bottom brackets.

Thanks bud. I'll go read some now. I guess I should print it and read lots of it over the next few days to let it erally sink in.

I posted this the other day in a related thread:

I suggest Barnett's Manual for $68 from buy.com with free shipping. This set of books is the most informative that I have seen.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.as...6&sku=33874585

Use the google checkout for $10 off.

As for tools, you should look on ebay for a used, complete kit. I found the Park AK-32 for under $100 a few years ago. It has everything that I have needed to build three bikes and maintain the others:

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=6&item=AK%2D32

Jeffrey

The AK-32 for $100? That is a steal!

I am a bike newbie, and jumped into mech stuff. No major problems so far, only one cut on my hand, but I've barraged this forum with questions.

I went for the Park Tool BK-2 rollup workshop. It cost me $130 new from an ebay seller. I'm very happy with it, and I've been able to do everything on my current build except for building and truing wheels and installing a headset.

If I were to buy again, I'd give the Nashbar "Bigger than Big" toolkit a look to see how it fairs, its less expensive. Though the Park Tool website has been so useful that I don't mind supporting them with some extra cash.

The only tool I don't see as being worth it (for someone like me) is a headset tool. Next tool purchases will be a Park stand, wheel truing stand and tensionometer. With the BK-2, PCS-1 (stand), TCS-5 (truing stand) and TM-1 (tension meter) you have a pretty complete kit IMO for $300 (when bought new - lots of this stuff can be found used).

So far, I haven't been dying for a stand, but it would be nice. And I figure I might as well learn how to build a wheel.

I think its a good idea to buy what you need, as you need it (unless you're getting a chunky discount or something).

HTH - good luck - and congrats on deciding to be a DIYer. I, for one, have found it very satisfying and therapeutic.

Great thread!

Which of these resources would be best for guiding a mechanically inclined newbie in building up a bike from scratch? I'm thinking of buying the frame and a big 'ol pile of components, pre-built wheels, and putting it all together.

Would the Park Tool website be enough?

Would you add the Park Tool repair manual? http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=19&item=BBB%2D1#

Is the Barnett manual overkill for the one or two bikes I might build?

Thanks a bunch!